Wednesday, 4 December 2013

So many of us are obsessed with losing weight, but the truth is we should be focusing more on our health in general. Our bodies are pretty darn good at sending us warning signals when things aren’t running as they should be. But all too often we ignore these signals or, even worse, consider them to be normal. It’s time to start listening to what our bodies have to say. Let’s take a look at a few common telltale signs and tips on how to lose weight quickly.

YOU’RE STORING BODY FAT!

Excuse us for stating the obvious, but a lot of folks ignore the fact that they need to lose a few pounds! It’s becoming a global problem, especially since most nations have become industrialized. The World Health Organization (WHO) predicts that by 2015, there will be 2.3 billion overweight adults, and more than 700 million of them will be obese.9 In fact, we are already seeing an increase in a variety of weight-related health problems in areas around the world that have never before experienced such a thing....that's your first indication that you need to know how to lose weight quickly, with the help of paleo diets.

THE SCIENCE BIT – BODY COMPOSITION

We are genetically designed to move and stay active throughout the day. However, most people nowadays have sedentary jobs that involve being stuck at a desk and working ridiculously long hours. On top of this, we have cars, escalators, and remote controls that further encourage us to move less. Meanwhile, our diets are more energy-dense than ever, thanks to processed, packaged, and prepared foods. We’re talking about boxed cereals, bagged chips, sweet snacks in wrappers, luncheon meats, and frozen microwave meals. These fake foods are cheap and more convenient than cooking at home with fresh produce, but there is certainly a price to pay. Most are packed with sugar, poor-quality fats, and preservatives and chemicals that we as humans were never designed to eat, and our guts never built to process. They disrupt our hormones and destroy our metabolism. Metabolism is the rate at which your body burns off and utilizes calories, so anything that impairs that process will cause chronic weight gain.

YOU’RE A SERIAL SNOOZER

The way you feel in the morning is a good indication of your overall health. Ideally, our bodies should awaken us naturally after eight hours of restful sleep. We shouldn’t even need alarm clocks—impossible to imagine, eh? Our energy levels are naturally at their highest first thing in the day, which means we should be able to kick-start our daily routines full of vitality.

Yet waking abruptly from slumber by some painful sounding alarm clock is the reality for most. We press the snooze button at least three times just to get over the shock, then spend the next ten minutes trying to figure out which part of our daily personal hygiene routines can be sacrificed to maximize pillow hugging time. After finally admitting defeat and staggering out of bed, the only thing on our minds is securing a continuous drip feed of caffeine to get us through the day until we can be reunited with our beloved beds......another sign that tell's you that you need to know how to lose weight quickly.....

THE SCIENCE BIT – HORMONE HEALTH

Early morning fatigue is a sign that your hormones are not functioning optimally, in particular those responsible for governing blood sugar levels (insulin) and “get up and go” (cortisol). These hormones play a huge role in determining your cycles of energy throughout the day and are affected by several factors, including your stress levels, sleep quality, physical activity, and yes, even what you eat and drink. The beauty of hormones is that they are like an orchestra, working together to produce the symphony that is your day. Once an instrument (or hormone) gets out of sync, however, the overall performance languishes, and other hormones soon begin to falter, including those governing reproduction, sleep, and digestion. This leads to common issues such as premenstrual syndrome (PMS), polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and—horrifyingly—a lack of libido.

YOU FART… A LOT!

Deny it as much as you like, but we all do it. As funny as a good fart is, excessive wind is a sure sign that some of the foods you are eating are aggravating your digestive system. Besides, there’s only so many times you can blame the dog....now you definitely need to know how to lose weight quickly

THE SCIENCE BIT – DIGESTIVE HEALTH

In her book Detoxify or Die, Sherry A. Rogers, a medical doctor specializing in environmental medicine, puts it this way: The road to health is paved with good intestines. Indeed, good digestive health is so much more important than most people realize!

Sadly, IBS is now a very common condition. Symptoms range from stomach cramps, flatulence, and bloating to diarrhea and constipation. Most of us experience these on a daily basis and simply consider them to be normal. In fact, this is your body’s way of telling you it is none too pleased with what you’re putting inside it. Many of the modern-day convenience foods we eat are highly processed and cause digestive discomfort. This is a signal you should not overlook, because your entire metabolism starts in your gut. Therefore, any issues with digestion compromise your metabolic efficiency. Furthermore, because you cannot absorb nutrients from your food effectively, poor digestive heath will often lead to some form of malnourishment and vitamin or mineral deficiency.

Poor digestion also affects your immune system. Did you know 85 percent of your immune system is situated in the gut? Our guts are designed to protect us and act as a barrier between the outside world and the body. Yet some of the foods we eat are so aggravating they can actually create microscopic gaps along the gut wall that allow food particles, bacteria, toxins, and other substances to pass into the body. The bombardment of these strange substances confuses the immune system and sends it into overdrive, leading to all sorts of health complications.

This condition is known as leaky gut syndrome, and it isn’t something you should ignore. Your digestive health is your life force. Imagine a car with a leaking gas tank; no matter how much you fill up the tank, it will still eventually run out of fuel and come to a grinding halt. This is effectively what happens to the body, and symptoms soon go beyond digestive irritation to include much more serious conditions, including chronic fatigue, fever, arthritis, eczema, asthma, and migraines.

SKIN ISSUES

Have you ever noticed how much your skin suffers after a heavy weekend of eating and drinking? If you look in the mirror and see blemishes, wrinkles, dry skin, oily skin, a dull complexion, or dark circles under your eyes, then this could be your body’s cry for help. Inflammatory skin conditions like acne, eczema, psoriasis, and dermatitis are even more serious. Often we try to treat these topically with creams and lotions, but the root cause is beyond skin deep. In fact, a strong link exists between leaky gut syndrome and skin problems. The fourth sign that tells you that you need to know how to lose weight quickly.

THE SCIENCE BIT – DETOXIFICATION AND INFLAMMATION

Think of your skin as a true reflection of your health. Your skin is your body’s largest detoxification organ, so if it’s erupting, that is a sign of toxic overload. And let’s face it: we’re exposed to toxins on a daily basis. Just think of the pollution, medications, and chemicals that have all made their way into our food and water supply! If your gut is unable to protect you from these toxins, the result often manifests in your skin.

THE SOLUTION: HEAL FROM THE INSIDE OUT

The message here is that the only way to achieve and, more importantly, sustain a healthy body is to start your transformation from the inside. You can buy pills and potions to treat the signs of a poor diet, but ultimately you’ll need to address the root cause of the problem. Let your healthy diet act as your medicine, and you will begin to see the following dramatic changes.

BALANCED BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS

The single most important aim of your nutrition should be to balance your blood sugar levels! A diet rich in refined and processed foods works against this goal by suddenly spiking your blood sugar levels. Re- place them with whole, natural foods that provide a slow, steady release of nutrients, and you’ll help regulate hormones and fat storage.

DIGESTIVE SUPPORT

Now that we’ve explained the importance of digestive health, you can understand why it is imperative to reduce or remove gut-irritating foods. The usual suspects are highly refined grains, especially those containing gluten.

REDUCED INFLAMMATION

Most degenerative diseases—including heart disease, cancer, and diabetes—are increasing at an alarming rate around the globe. The culprit behind these diseases is inflammation within the body, something that can be hugely moderated with proper nutrition.

IMPROVED DETOXIFICATION

Our livers are quite frankly overwhelmed with toxins from our environment. Nutrition is meant to boost liver function, not burden it further with food toxins such as refined sugars, refined carbohydrates, chemical preservatives, additives, synthetic hormones, or antibiotics found in intensively farmed meat or fish. Conversely, whole, natural, and nutrient-dense foods—such as vegetables, fruits, herbs, and spices—all support liver detoxification.

So many of us are obsessed with losing weight, but the truth is we should be focusing more on our health in general. Our bodies are pretty darn good at sending us warning signals when things aren’t running as they should be. But all too often we ignore these signals or, even worse, consider them to be normal. It’s time to start listening to what our bodies have to say. Let’s take a look at a few common telltale signs and tips on how to lose weight quickly.

YOU’RE STORING BODY FAT!

Excuse us for stating the obvious, but a lot of folks ignore the fact that they need to lose a few pounds! It’s becoming a global problem, especially since most nations have become industrialized. The World Health Organization (WHO) predicts that by 2015, there will be 2.3 billion overweight adults, and more than 700 million of them will be obese.9 In fact, we are already seeing an increase in a variety of weight-related health problems in areas around the world that have never before experienced such a thing....that's your first indication that you need to know how to lose weight quickly, with the help of paleo diets.

THE SCIENCE BIT – BODY COMPOSITION

We are genetically designed to move and stay active throughout the day. However, most people nowadays have sedentary jobs that involve being stuck at a desk and working ridiculously long hours. On top of this, we have cars, escalators, and remote controls that further encourage us to move less. Meanwhile, our diets are more energy-dense than ever, thanks to processed, packaged, and prepared foods. We’re talking about boxed cereals, bagged chips, sweet snacks in wrappers, luncheon meats, and frozen microwave meals. These fake foods are cheap and more convenient than cooking at home with fresh produce, but there is certainly a price to pay. Most are packed with sugar, poor-quality fats, and preservatives and chemicals that we as humans were never designed to eat, and our guts never built to process. They disrupt our hormones and destroy our metabolism. Metabolism is the rate at which your body burns off and utilizes calories, so anything that impairs that process will cause chronic weight gain.

YOU’RE A SERIAL SNOOZER

The way you feel in the morning is a good indication of your overall health. Ideally, our bodies should awaken us naturally after eight hours of restful sleep. We shouldn’t even need alarm clocks—impossible to imagine, eh? Our energy levels are naturally at their highest first thing in the day, which means we should be able to kick-start our daily routines full of vitality.

Yet waking abruptly from slumber by some painful sounding alarm clock is the reality for most. We press the snooze button at least three times just to get over the shock, then spend the next ten minutes trying to figure out which part of our daily personal hygiene routines can be sacrificed to maximize pillow hugging time. After finally admitting defeat and staggering out of bed, the only thing on our minds is securing a continuous drip feed of caffeine to get us through the day until we can be reunited with our beloved beds......another sign that tell's you that you need to know how to lose weight quickly.....

THE SCIENCE BIT – HORMONE HEALTH

Early morning fatigue is a sign that your hormones are not functioning optimally, in particular those responsible for governing blood sugar levels (insulin) and “get up and go” (cortisol). These hormones play a huge role in determining your cycles of energy throughout the day and are affected by several factors, including your stress levels, sleep quality, physical activity, and yes, even what you eat and drink. The beauty of hormones is that they are like an orchestra, working together to produce the symphony that is your day. Once an instrument (or hormone) gets out of sync, however, the overall performance languishes, and other hormones soon begin to falter, including those governing reproduction, sleep, and digestion. This leads to common issues such as premenstrual syndrome (PMS), polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and—horrifyingly—a lack of libido.

YOU FART… A LOT!

Deny it as much as you like, but we all do it. As funny as a good fart is, excessive wind is a sure sign that some of the foods you are eating are aggravating your digestive system. Besides, there’s only so many times you can blame the dog....now you definitely need to know how to lose weight quickly

THE SCIENCE BIT – DIGESTIVE HEALTH

In her book Detoxify or Die, Sherry A. Rogers, a medical doctor specializing in environmental medicine, puts it this way: The road to health is paved with good intestines. Indeed, good digestive health is so much more important than most people realize!

Sadly, IBS is now a very common condition. Symptoms range from stomach cramps, flatulence, and bloating to diarrhea and constipation. Most of us experience these on a daily basis and simply consider them to be normal. In fact, this is your body’s way of telling you it is none too pleased with what you’re putting inside it. Many of the modern-day convenience foods we eat are highly processed and cause digestive discomfort. This is a signal you should not overlook, because your entire metabolism starts in your gut. Therefore, any issues with digestion compromise your metabolic efficiency. Furthermore, because you cannot absorb nutrients from your food effectively, poor digestive heath will often lead to some form of malnourishment and vitamin or mineral deficiency.

Poor digestion also affects your immune system. Did you know 85 percent of your immune system is situated in the gut? Our guts are designed to protect us and act as a barrier between the outside world and the body. Yet some of the foods we eat are so aggravating they can actually create microscopic gaps along the gut wall that allow food particles, bacteria, toxins, and other substances to pass into the body. The bombardment of these strange substances confuses the immune system and sends it into overdrive, leading to all sorts of health complications.

This condition is known as leaky gut syndrome, and it isn’t something you should ignore. Your digestive health is your life force. Imagine a car with a leaking gas tank; no matter how much you fill up the tank, it will still eventually run out of fuel and come to a grinding halt. This is effectively what happens to the body, and symptoms soon go beyond digestive irritation to include much more serious conditions, including chronic fatigue, fever, arthritis, eczema, asthma, and migraines.

SKIN ISSUES

Have you ever noticed how much your skin suffers after a heavy weekend of eating and drinking? If you look in the mirror and see blemishes, wrinkles, dry skin, oily skin, a dull complexion, or dark circles under your eyes, then this could be your body’s cry for help. Inflammatory skin conditions like acne, eczema, psoriasis, and dermatitis are even more serious. Often we try to treat these topically with creams and lotions, but the root cause is beyond skin deep. In fact, a strong link exists between leaky gut syndrome and skin problems. The fourth sign that tells you that you need to know how to lose weight quickly.

THE SCIENCE BIT – DETOXIFICATION AND INFLAMMATION

Think of your skin as a true reflection of your health. Your skin is your body’s largest detoxification organ, so if it’s erupting, that is a sign of toxic overload. And let’s face it: we’re exposed to toxins on a daily basis. Just think of the pollution, medications, and chemicals that have all made their way into our food and water supply! If your gut is unable to protect you from these toxins, the result often manifests in your skin.

THE SOLUTION: HEAL FROM THE INSIDE OUT

The message here is that the only way to achieve and, more importantly, sustain a healthy body is to start your transformation from the inside. You can buy pills and potions to treat the signs of a poor diet, but ultimately you’ll need to address the root cause of the problem. Let your healthy diet act as your medicine, and you will begin to see the following dramatic changes.

BALANCED BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS

The single most important aim of your nutrition should be to balance your blood sugar levels! A diet rich in refined and processed foods works against this goal by suddenly spiking your blood sugar levels. Re- place them with whole, natural foods that provide a slow, steady release of nutrients, and you’ll help regulate hormones and fat storage.

DIGESTIVE SUPPORT

Now that we’ve explained the importance of digestive health, you can understand why it is imperative to reduce or remove gut-irritating foods. The usual suspects are highly refined grains, especially those containing gluten.

REDUCED INFLAMMATION

Most degenerative diseases—including heart disease, cancer, and diabetes—are increasing at an alarming rate around the globe. The culprit behind these diseases is inflammation within the body, something that can be hugely moderated with proper nutrition.

IMPROVED DETOXIFICATION

Our livers are quite frankly overwhelmed with toxins from our environment. Nutrition is meant to boost liver function, not burden it further with food toxins such as refined sugars, refined carbohydrates, chemical preservatives, additives, synthetic hormones, or antibiotics found in intensively farmed meat or fish. Conversely, whole, natural, and nutrient-dense foods—such as vegetables, fruits, herbs, and spices—all support liver detoxification.